Baby-chick feeder



May 5, 1925. 1,536,234

B. W. MILLER BABY CHICK FEEDER Filed Dec. 1. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 be Dal IE :1

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B. W. MILLER BABY CHICK FEEDER Filed Dec. 1, 1 24 gwumifoz Patented May 5, 1925.

UNITED STATES BROWN W. MILLER, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

BABY-CHICK FEEDER.

Application filed December 1, 1924. Serial No. 753,216.

in the novel features hereinafter described.

and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and durable structure which may accommodate a brood of approximately five hundred chicks and having means whereby the chicks may distribute themselves throughout the brooder in order that time may be saved in feeding, for by reason of such distribution the chicks may all feed simultaneously.

With the above object in view the structure includes a ground or first floor composed of sections appropriately connected together and some of the sections being provided with entrance and exit porches. The structure also includes a second floor also composed of sections and which is superimposed with relation to the first floor and spaced vertically from the same. Suitable runways lead from the first floor to the second floor and the second floor is provided at its center with a deck having a gate hanging pendant thereon and disposed between runways which lead from the sec ond floor to the deck and disposed diagonally across the deck. Suitable means are provided for connecting the deck and the second floor structure with the first floor structure.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the baby chick feeder.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the same.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the same.

Figure 4: is a plan view of the feeder with parts removed and parts shown in section.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the feeder.

Figure 6 is afragmentary sectional View of the feeder cut on the line 66 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the section members used in the floor assembly of the feeder.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a screen wall section used in the feeder.

Figure 9 is a sectional view of the feeder cut 011 the plane at a right angle to the plane upon which the section shown in Figure 3 is cut.

The baby chick feeder comprises a first or lower floor 1 having spaced wire columns 2 mounted thereon and arranged in rows and with feeding troughs 3 located upon the floor 1 and disposed between the rows of wire columns 2. The feed is deposited in the troughs 3 and the baby chicks may stand upon the floor 1 and partake of the feed through the spaces between the columns 2 or the baby chicks may stand upon the ground beyond the edge of the floor 1 and partake of the feed through the spaces between the columns. A second floor i is located above the first floor 1 and is supported upon the upper end of the columns 2. The second floor is composed of sections 5 having at their ends engaging pins 6 which are adapt ed to connect the sections 5 together as best indicated in Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings. The edge of the second floor 4 is bounded by an upstanding wire mesh screen railing 7 and feeding trough sections 8 are mounted upon the floor sections 5. Runways 9 extend from the level of the second floor 4: to the ground and runways 10 are lo cated upon the intermediate portions of the first floor 1 and extend down from the level of the second floor to the first floor. There fore the baby chicks at the exterior of the feeder may pass up the runways 9 and move across the second floor 2 and pass down the runways 10 and arrive upon the intermediate portion of the first floor 1. A deck 11 is located at the center of the first floor 1 and centrally of the floor sections which compose the deck.

Runways 12 extend from the first floor 1 to the floor of the deck 11 and passageways 13 extend from the second floor 4 through the floor of the deck 11. A screen panel 14: is carried by the deck 11 and is disposed between the upper end of the runways 12. Thus the chicks may ascend along the runways 12 and enter the deck 11 and the screen partition 14 will direct the chicks toward the passageway 13 and they may pass through the said passageways and enter upon the second floor 4. Thus the chicks may partake of the feed which is contained in the boxes'8 upon the second floor. On the other hand the chicks may return from the second floor to the first floor by passing through the passageways 13 upon the deck 11 and then descending along the runways 12.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a baby chick feeder is provided and which consists of a first floor structure having feeding troughs thereon a second floor structure superimposed with relation to the first floor structure and an intermediately located deck having its floor approximately at the same level as the second floor and runways which permit the chicks to enter upon the first and second floors and upon the deck and to distribute themselves along the feeding troughs in order that the feeding of the chicks may take place simultaneously. The runways afford entrance and exit passageways or aisles and should the chicks crowd in any particular quarter of the structure they may pass along the said runways and move from one floor to the other and may move from the intermediate portion of the first floor to the exterior of the feeder or move from the exterior of the feeder into the feeder at the intermediate portion ,of the first floor.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. A chick feeder comprising a structure including spaced floors, feeding troughs mounted upon the floors, the upper floor being open at its center, and a runway for leading the chicks from the exterior of the feeder over the second floor and upon the first floor at the intermediate portion thereof.

2. A chick feeder comprising upper and lower spaced floors, the upper floor being open at its center, feeding troughs mounted upon the floors, a runway extending from the exterior of the feeder over the second floor and upon the first floor at the intermediate portion thereof, a deck located in the opening of the second floor and runways leading from the first floor to the deck, there being passageways connecting the deck with the second floor.

3. A chick feeder comprising upper and lower spaced floors, the upper floor being open at its center, feeding troughs located upon the floors, a deck located in the opening of the second floor, a partition disposed across the deck, runways leading from the first floor through the deck at the opposite sides of the partition, the second floor having passageways communicating with the deck at the opposite sides of the said partition and runways leading from the exterior of the feeder over the first floor and having their inner ends disposed upon the intermediate portion of the lower floor.

' In testimony whereof I afiix mysignature.

BROVN XV. MILLER. 

